Leisure time should be pleasant and brief.
But Zephyr had to admit, on that day, at that moment...
It was a long afternoon tea.
Especially when he received Sengoku's call and heard those words.
"Zephyr, your slow-witted disciple is leading his Marine branch to attack Wano Country!"
At that moment, time seemed to freeze.
Countless jumbled thoughts flooded Zephyr's mind.
Disciple? Sengoku? Baro? Garp? Afternoon tea? Wano Country? Attacking Wano Country?
All sorts of messy things, relevant and irrelevant, surged forth.
...
Hmm... Is it possible I misheard?
Yes, it's possible, I must have misheard!
So, Zephyr asked a perfectly reasonable question, continuing his conversation with Sengoku—
"What did you say?"
Hearing this, Sengoku guessed that Zephyr had already gone through a lot of mental exertion.
He took a deep breath and slowly explained, "Your disciple—Baro, leading the g-t Marine branch he just formed, is heading straight for Wano Country."
This time, Zephyr finally reacted, jumping up from the sofa, and asked in surprise, "What is that brat going to Wano Country for?"
"To wage war."
Sengoku casually uttered two words Zephyr absolutely did not want to hear, and then explained carefully:
"According to the report he submitted, through joint law enforcement by the g-t branch and the Four Seas Alliance, a large number of special weapons from the underworld were found to be transported into and around Alabasta, posing a great threat to the residents of the Four Seas Alliance."
"According to the investigation results, the source of this batch of special underworld weapons is Wano Country."
"Therefore, with 'justice' in their hearts, the g-t Marine branch has decided to go all out to Wano Country to punish those criminals who illegally trade arms."
"—Above, Baro."
"...That's the situation."
The den-den mushi depicted the expression on Sengoku's face at that moment.
It wasn't a look of frustration or yelling, but one of perfect calm.
So calm it was unnerving!
Anyone who knew Sengoku well would understand that this calm did not mean "it's nothing."
On the contrary, this matter was clearly quite "serious"!
...
Investigating arms traffickers in Wano Country?
Is there even a need to investigate!
Anyone on this sea who has had any contact with the underworld knows that Wano Country is a smuggling paradise that moves a massive amount of weapons constantly!
Rather than "investigating arms smuggling in Wano Country," it's more direct to say they're going to war with Wano Country!
And who rules Wano Country?
Kaido of the Beasts, and his Beasts Pirates.
Baro is leading the g-t Marine branch to go to war with Kaido of the Beasts, one of the Four Emperors!
Have they gone mad!
...
Sengoku, on the other end of the den-den mushi, continued:
"Zephyr, I don't care how you do it, you must call your disciple back immediately and absolutely prevent him from having a head-on conflict with a Four Emperor!"
In terms of rank, this should have been a command from a "superior" to a "subordinate," but Zephyr did not agree immediately. Instead, he retorted, "Reason."
"What?" Sengoku was startled.
"Give me a reason, Sengoku," Zephyr said sternly.
"Reason? You're asking me for a reason?"
Sengoku frowned, grinding his teeth, "If we don't stop him, the Marines could go to full-scale war with a Four Emperor. Is that reason enough?"
"That is a 'consequence' and a 'fact,' not a 'reason.'"
Zephyr was not arguing pointlessly; his expression was very serious.
"According to Marine regulations, the g-t branch has complete autonomous enforcement power, and Marine Headquarters has no right to interfere."
"This was the method we used to 'restrain' the Four Seas Alliance, and it is clearly stated in the original agreement."
"Neither the Marines nor the Four Seas Alliance has the right to issue direct orders to the g-t branch."
"This is the greatest privilege we granted to g-t, and the most effective restraint against the Four Seas Alliance."
"But... what about now?"
Zephyr adjusted his glasses.
"Now, the Four Seas Alliance hasn't made a move, but we are demanding that the g-t branch terminate their operation."
"Sengoku, I need a 'reason'—for Baro, and for the g-t branch."
Zephyr's meaning was clear, and Sengoku understood it.
If they were to follow the rules completely, even Marine Headquarters could not forcibly order g-t's actions.
Conversely, the Four Seas Alliance also had no right to demand anything from g-t.
This way, the g-t branch could be safely established at Alabasta, the headquarters of the Four Seas Alliance, and Ryan Rowan would agree to the proposal, killing two birds with one stone.
But now, this had happened.
The g-t branch was actually going to investigate the arms smuggling business in Wano Country!
Marine Headquarters had to step in to stop them.
But as Zephyr said, Marine Headquarters did need a reasonable excuse to persuade Baro to stop his actions.
But how could they say it?
Sengoku fell into thought for a moment.
If he said—"You cannot touch Wano Country. That is the territory of a Four Emperor. Once you launch an investigation into Wano Country, it could trigger a conflict between the Marines and the Four Emperors!"
...No.
If they put it that way, did it imply that the Marines and the Four Emperors were originally at peace?
Hmm...
It seemed worth a try.
But there were some things on this sea that could not be "stated openly."
These were the rules hidden beneath the surface of this world. People might find them unreasonable, but they were powerless to change them.
In the end, all they could come up with was a conclusion of "it has always been this way."
The Four Emperors, the Marines, and the Seven Warlords of the Sea; a three-way balance of power and checks and balances on this sea—it has always been this way.
The Marines knew that the New World was the territory of the Four Emperors, yet they did not launch a full-scale war, perhaps to prevent greater casualties, or perhaps because the World Government had not issued a clear order—it has always been this way.
The zealous Marines, who vowed to eradicate all pirates, did not directly declare war on the four most famous pirates on the sea—it has always been this way.
This world has always existed like this—it has always been this way.
Everything was like this, yet no one dared to say it explicitly.
—it has always been this way.
Therefore, Zephyr knew one thing, which was that he could not stop that brat's progress at all!
"Hoo..."
Zephyr and Sengoku both let out a long sigh, momentarily caught in a dilemma.
Just then, the door to Sengoku's office was pushed open.
Marine Headquarters' Vice Admiral—Tsuru, walked in.
Then, she placed a den-den mushi on Sengoku's desk.
"Zephyr, you can hear this from your end too, right? Come over here."
Tsuru's expression was calm, as calm as Sengoku's.
Equally serious.
"It's time to talk to that Emperor."
"This guy... does he want the world to fall into chaos?"
...
Alabasta.
Rowan sat in his study, flipping through a book.
But his mind was not on the book.
He was waiting.
Waiting for a call.
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